Advanced Driver Assistance Systems adoption on the rise

on 06 March 2017.

The adoption of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in UK fleets is accelerating but the industry’s knowledge is struggling to keep up with the pace of change particularly in respect of vehicle maintenance, according to new research from Autoglass.

A survey of 250 fleet managers found that just over a third (34%) of the vehicles in car and van fleets had some ADAS-enabled safety features, such as autonomous emergency braking and lane deviation warnings.

A total of 29% of all car fleets and 40% of all van and light commercial fleet vehicles are estimated to be ADAS-enabled based on the research findings.

Managers responsible for ADAS-enabled car and van fleets see the biggest benefits of the technology as improved driver safety (47%), followed by a reduction in accident and repair costs (23%). That echoes extensive industry data which indicates that autonomous breaking, for example, can reduce accidents by up to 40%.

However, with the rapid introduction of the technology into fleets there remain practical challenges to overcome so that the full benefits of the technology are realised, according to Autoglass.

For example, 27% of fleet managers acknowledge a lack of awareness about how the technology works as their biggest challenge. Meanwhile, 16% said they faced challenges with drivers choosing to switch off ADAS-enabled safety feature due to annoyance.

Worryingly, said Autoglass, 20% of ADAS-enabled car fleet managers and 15% of van fleet managers admitted that they did not include ADAS calibration as part of their checks during vehicle repair and maintenance (17% overall). Some vehicle manufacturers state that the cameras and sensors the systems rely on to operate need to be calibrated following a windscreen replacement, to ensure they are functioning properly.